


Snapshot

by axiumin



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Photographer, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Other, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Reader-Interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 17:43:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17585399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/axiumin/pseuds/axiumin
Summary: Perhaps it was due to your nature as a photographer, but treasured moments stuck out to you as if frozen in time, like snapshots. After you met Jongdae, you found that there were plenty of such treasured moments.





	Snapshot

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a request by tumblr user @noona-clock: "Hi, lovely! Guess who? ;) You’ve got Admin T here from Noona-Clock! Sending you a fluffy Jongdae request. I’ll let you choose- either a Model!AU or Backstage!AU (like the Little Something MV). Looking forward to it, dear, and fighting!! ❤️ Admin T"
> 
> I misunderstood the most important part of the prompt, but it's cute anyway. 
> 
> Cross-posted from tumblr. Come say hi @axiumin!

It was way too early for it to be this bright.

You’d been in the business long enough to know the importance of getting an early start for the day, yet you couldn’t help but sigh as your sleep-heavy eyes squinted against the studio lights.

Still, at least you had something to make it worth being up at this time of the morning. Today, you’d be working with Jongdae, an up and coming model whose career took off quicker than anyone expected. Well, maybe not totally unexpected. You’d seen the pictures, same as anyone else: the high cheekbones, the expressive eyes, the curved mouth. The man was gorgeous and— more importantly— he photographed well.

The artist in you was thrilled at the chance to take photos of him. You may be one of many photographers working with him, but you knew that if you pulled this off well enough, your career might soar just as high as his.

You were fiddling with one of your film cameras when Jongdae arrived. He was clearly just as affected by the early morning hour as you, but even with his baseball cap and the faint circles under his eyes, he was strikingly handsome.

His handsomeness increased tenfold when he made eye contact with you and grinned, bright and charming.

“Hi, I’m Jongdae,” he introduced himself, sounding far more energetic than he looked. Butterflies erupted in your stomach; you already knew this was going to be a fantastic shoot.

“I’m Y/N,” you returned, putting your camera down so you could gesture around the studio. “What do you think?”

Jongdae looked around, taking in the lighting, the backdrops, and the props. He nodded approvingly. “I like it. I think this is going to turn out great,” he said. He wasn’t the first person to say something like that to you, but when his eyes returned to yours, you were struck by his earnestness.

You cleared your throat. “Alright, then. Good. How about we get you set up with the stylist and ready to go?” You nodded at him and turned back to your camera, watching him walk away out of the corner of your eye.

.

There’s something honest about photography. Sure, there’s retouching and editing that can make a picture look nothing like its reality, but the photograph itself, the original version, is one of the most truthful things in the world. You’ve seen firsthand the raw honesty of photographs: a fleeting emotion, immortalized in film; impatience, exemplified by a blurred border or overexposed brightness; the clutter and mess of _humans_.

But just as photographs are a reflection of the humans they capture, so too do they reflect the perspective of humans. You became a photographer so that you could share your view with the world, and you take great pains to do that, no matter what project you take on.

.

You had already finished setting up and double checking all of the equipment by the time the stylist was finished with Jongdae. That meant he had your full attention when he stepped into the studio lights, every detail of his appearance carefully curated, from his slightly mussed hair to the bold, contrasting colors he wore.

Now more than ever, you were eager to get started. Already, you could imagine the different details to hone in on, the different ways of capturing this man in photographs. You were still reflecting on this when he spoke.

“I’m ready to go if you are,” he said. Your eyes flicked back up to his as a confident smile spread across your face.

“Let’s do this.”

.

Here’s what you saw: dark hair falling into dark eyes. The sweet curve of a mouth hinting at mischief. Bright lights playing off the curve of a cheekbone. A glimpse of a strong chest hiding behind a bold shirt. A face unable to hide its honesty as it asks, “Can you see me? Do you know who I am?”

_Click._

.

After the shoot concluded, you flipped through the stills on one of your digital cameras. You were amazed; you had expected a successful shoot with Jongdae, but you hadn’t expected nearly every photograph to come out looking this good. You cycled through more shots, impressed when you found that this guy didn’t seem to have a bad angle on his body. And by the sound of the low whistle coming from behind you, you weren’t the only one impressed.

You looked over your shoulder to see Jongdae, his eyes fixed on your camera.

“You know,” he started conversationally, “I had heard rumors that you’re good, but I didn’t expect you to be this good.”

Your face heated a bit as you shrugged.

“You’re the one who’s so unbelievably handsome that he apparently can’t take a bad picture,” you replied. Only after the words left your mouth did you realize how flirtatious they sounded. You shot Jongdae a worried look, but he was just smiling as brightly as ever.

“Let’s just meet halfway and agree that we work well together, then,” he said cheerfully.

.

Your prediction was right: your photoshoot with Jongdae was very successful and garnered a lot of positive attention for the both of you. You suspected this was why you found yourself working with him again, just a couple of short months after the first shoot.

This time, you didn’t have the luxury of working in your studio with your perfect lighting and your air conditioner. No, this time, you were doing a shoot in a garden. It was a beautiful location for a shoot, you readily admitted, and the late spring sunshine provided wonderful lighting for the time being. But there was still the pressure of knowing that you only had a limited amount of time to work with this lighting, and you were discomfited to find that the same sunshine that gave you said pleasant lighting was also attempting to burn through the back of your black shirt.

Still, despite any complaints you may have had about your slightly less-than-ideal conditions, you couldn’t quell the excitement that came from knowing you’d see Jongdae so soon. You tried to chalk it up to professional interest, but you couldn’t deny the part of you that just wanted to see his bright smile directed at you again.

Fortunately, it seemed Jongdae was just as excited to see you again. As soon as the stylists were finished with him, he sidled up to you, bringing with him the wonderful shade of his umbrella.

“You look hot,” he said as way of greeting. You watched, amused, he visibly processed what he just said and hurried to correct himself. “I just mean, you know, the sun is bright. And you looked—” He decided to stop while he was ahead.

“Thank you, Jongdae,” you said with a laugh. “Are you ready to get started, then?”

Grateful for the way out, Jongdae nodded. “Very.”

.

Here’s what you saw: sunlight dancing on bronzed skin. Soft petals resting against soft lips. Blades of grass weaving through dark hair like the delicate caress of fingers. Eyes both piercing and gentle as they say, “I see you. I know you.”

_Click._

.

The shoot ended as the sun began its descent and took with it all the best lighting. You were far from disappointed, though; again, you couldn’t help but be impressed by how flawlessly these pictures had come out.

You heard footsteps approach from behind you and half expected history to repeat itself with a low whistle. You were surprised, then, when Jongdae spoke.

“You know, we’re not too far from my favorite cafe.”

You turned away from your camera to give Jongdae your full attention.

“Would you like to get something to eat?” he finished, smiling bright and beautiful as ever.

You smiled back.

You went home that day with several rolls of undeveloped film and a scrap of paper with a scrawled phone number.

.

The next time the two of you met up, it was by your own arrangement. You’d made good use of that phone number, and it was just over a week before you found time to plan a date.

“I’m a bit worried,” Jongdae admitted. You were halfway through lunch at a cafe of your choice, seated outside at a wrought-iron table that offered a lovely view of the nearby park. You felt a flash of concern, but it settled when you saw how open and relaxed Jongdae’s face was.

“What are you worried about?” you asked, idly taking a sip of your tea.

“Well, I thought I knew what I was talking about when I took you to that cafe last time, but now I’m worried that your taste in food is much better than mine. How am I supposed to impress you now?” Jongdae, bless him, actually pouted a bit.

A slow smile tugged at your lips without your permission. You comfortingly patted Jongdae’s hand, heart fluttering a bit when he turned his palm to yours and intertwined your fingers.

“Ah,” you cleared your throat. “I suppose we’ll have to keep sharing our favorite places with each other to see who really has the better taste. Don’t you think?”

His hand squeezed yours and he smiled like the sunshine.

“You know, I think you’re right.”

.

Here’s what you saw: fingertips grazing a painted coffee mug. The peek of a tongue chasing a fleeting taste. The flash of joy in familiar eyes. A warm hand clasping another tightly as if to say, “I want this. I want you.”

_Click._

.

Your first date had set the tone for the beginning of your relationship. Whenever the two of you found time between your respective new projects to meet up for another date, you took turns choosing where to eat. After the cafe you had brought him to for your second date, Jongdae had made it a point of pride to try to find the best eateries— not that you particularly minded. As far as you were concerned, both of you were the winners if it meant you got good food.

With time, your friendly competition had moved on from cafes to sophisticated restaurants and again on to—

“Ice cream?” you asked dubiously.

“Yeah! I mean, it’s summer. What better way to cool down? And we both know that not all ice creams are created equal.” Jongdae tugged on your hand, leading you to an ice cream stand that he insisted was one of the best in the city.

You had to admit, once you were seated on a park bench, swirled ice cream cone in hand, Jongdae might have been onto something. And he knew it.

“It’s good, right?” he asked, watching you with an almost cheshire-like smile as you tasted your ice cream and made a show of thinking about it.

“Hmm.” You forced yourself to keep a straight face as you scrutinized your ice cream. “I’m not quite convinced yet,” you teased.

“Yah, Y/N! Don’t pretend that you don’t like it!” he whined. He wrapped an arm around your waist and leaned against you. “It’s perfect! And if you don’t like yours, then you can try mine!”

This time, your skepticism was real as you looked at his ice cream.

“Jongdae, didn’t we get the same flavor? Why would yours taste any different?”

He just shrugged and made a show of taking a bite of his ice cream.

“You never know how these things work until you give them a try, Y/N.” He suddenly leaned further into your space, face softening into a more sincere expression. “So let me give you a taste.”

Your heart hammered in your chest as he leaned forward to press his lips against yours. They were lightly cool from the ice cream, but you immediately felt warmed by the kiss. It was slow, unhurried as the summer afternoon around you, and when you pulled away, you felt almost sluggish as if you’ve been basking in warm sunlight. Warm, comfortable, _right._

His face hovered close to yours, his eyes watching your face as if it held all the answers. You slowly licked your lips, chasing the feeling of the kiss, and you were surprised to find that the ice cream somehow tasted sweeter than before.

Yeah, Jongdae was onto something here.

.

Here’s what you saw: tree leaves casting mottled shadows across an expanse of skin. Eyes dancing and crinkling at the edges in laughter. A smear of ice cream decorating a shining face. A fierce grin softening around the edges as if to say, “I love you. _I love you_.”

_Click._

.

Months later, things settled into something steady and comfortable and warm between you. It was this warmth that reminded you of the spring day when you met, even now in the dead of winter.

Unfortunately, that was just a metaphorical warmth. In reality, you were sitting bundled up on Jongdae’s couch, wearing old sweats and two pairs of fuzzy socks to keep your toes from freezing off. Really, the only thing keeping you going at this point was your personal space heater, who had taken to draping himself across your legs while you two spent a lazy afternoon watching an episode of the latest drama.

“Yah, Jongdae,” you whined when he got up from the couch, taking the heat with him.

He tossed a quick smile over his shoulder as he disappeared into his bedroom.

“Wait right there, Y/N. I promise it’ll be worth it!”

You pouted, bundling your blanket tighter around you while you waited for him to do whatever it was he was doing. After a moment, however, your face melted into a curious expression as you listened to him rummage around in his room.

He came back soon after, hands behind his back and smile bright and contagious as ever.

“I got something the other day,” he sing-songed. You were still confused, but you couldn’t help but grin back as you craned your neck to see behind his back.

“What is it?” you asked, trying to catch a glimpse.

“Ta-dah!” With flourish, Jongdae showed you the camera he was holding. It was an old polaroid in surprisingly good condition, and you were sure your puzzlement showed on your face.

“I know you’re the photographer and all,” Jongdae said, “but I thought it would be nice for me to have my own camera! That way, I can have pictures of you for once.” Your heart swelled with affection.

“Oh, Jongdae,” you sighed, voice halfway between teasing and dreamy.

Jongdae tilted your face up to be level with his, eyes dancing.

“I love you, you know,” he said, just before kissing you.

It was as slow and sweet as your first kiss, and you sighed softly as he pulled away, far too soon for your liking. You had barely opened your eyes to look at him again when you heard the click of a camera shutter.

You gasped, your shocked expression making Jongdae snicker as he waited for the instant film to finish exiting the camera. He held it up victoriously, and you grumbled a bit even as you pressed against his side, waiting for the film to develop.

As you watched your form slowly materialized in the photograph, you felt more keenly than ever the love you held for this man.

.

Here’s what he saw: wisps of hair falling softly against a sweet face. Cheeks flushing with warmth and affection. Lips parting as if to call after someone. Half-lidded eyes confessing without fear, “You are my moment. You are my forever.”

_Click._


End file.
